


frankly speaking

by midnightmumblings



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Ana is just done with their antics, Buck and Eddie are two halves of a whole idiot, F/F, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Minor Eddie Diaz/Ana Flores (9-1-1 TV), Not Beta Read, Platonic friendships, Texting, and they share one braincell, i meant i'll add my meandering thoughts to them, yes when i said i'll fix the tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:42:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29974776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightmumblings/pseuds/midnightmumblings
Summary: Eddie Diaz is in love, but not with her.She had to set him straight."So, I'm going to be frank with you.  I think you're in love with Buck."
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Lena Bosko/Ana Flores
Comments: 24
Kudos: 463





	frankly speaking

**Author's Note:**

> Obligatory I am on mobile note. I'll fix up the tags later. This is my first fic for the 9-1-1 fandom, first fic for Buddie, just first in general.
> 
> I got this idea a few weeks ago, and I tried to write it. Had to watch the show first to get a better grip on these characters, so I hope none of this was too OOC. I've not made it to season 3 yet, but I am getting there.
> 
> I have read a lot of fanfic and seen a lot of videos so I am familiar with some plot points.
> 
> Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine 😁

Ana Flores has always prided herself on her intellect. She loved learning, and later on, she found she loved helping others learn. Being a teacher was definitely her calling, and she enjoyed her career even if she sometimes went home with spit and other questionable messes on her blouse. 

So, yes, Ana was fairly confident in her intellect. It came with the territory, spending years learning how to read between the lines, especially when it came to dealing with her students, empathizing with them if they needed someone to listen. 

It was the reason she realized that the moment Eddie Diaz asked her out again (and wasn't that a surprise after a year of radio silence), she knew it wasn't going to go anywhere. 

Because if Eddie's longing sighs, that were most certainly not directed at her, weren't any indication, the way the name "Buck" spills forth from his lips every single time they talk about Eddie's life certainly was. 

Eddie Diaz is in love, but not with her. 

She had to set him straight. 

"So, I'm going to be frank with you. I think you're in love with Buck." 

She expected denial. She expected him to look at her like she was crazy. She expected him to shut down at any talk of emotions or feelings. 

She was most certainly not expecting a grown man to choke on his wine and have it shoot through his nostrils. 

Ana winced, hissing sympathetically in pain. That had to hurt. 

Then, the protests came almost immediately once Eddie managed to get the cogwheels in his brain going. 

"Wh-what?! I'm not...what makes you say...Buck isn't...I'm not in love with Buck!" He finally managed to exclaim, looking like one of her fourth graders when she asked them where they hid their classmate's pink Barbie pencil case. The visual was aided even more with the wine stain on his shirt, looking not unlike spilt grape juice. 

So, she leaned back, raised an eyebrow, schooled her features into that no-nonsense look she perfected over the years as a teacher that she pulled out if she was dealing with an extremely difficult kid. 

That look, coupled with a vocal "Really?" had Eddie sagging faster than she thought. She was either really good, or he was just really tired of putting on a pretense. 

He finally sighed, bowing his head. "That obvious, huh?" 

"It is," she replied with a smile. "I'm so sorry for just saying it, but I had this feeling and well, I couldn't let you continue with this especially since you're already taken with someone else." 

"I know, and I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gone through with this," Eddie sighs out. "I just thought...I thought I needed to move on, get out there, you know? Everyone's not been sneaky in telling me as much." 

Ana hums, a satisfied smile on her face. "Pretty hard to move on if you're already in love with someone else. And I'm not mad, Eddie," she hastily adds at his crestfallen face. "This night has been lovely, but I don't see it going anywhere so, let's nip it in the bud and call it a night." 

Eddie let out a small smile at that, and he took her hand in his. "Thank you for understanding. I thought...I didn't mean to lead you on." 

She laughs, waving away the concern. "We can still be friends, though, if that's alright with you?" 

"Yeah, definitely, I'd like that." 

* * *

While it bummed her out a bit that things hadn't worked out, Ana knew it was for the best. They were never going to work out, and besides, she liked Eddie more as a friend. 

She's never had actual  _ guy _ friends before, so she didn't know exactly the protocol, but she never figured it included Eddie texting her at 2 in the morning, on a Saturday, when she knows he's on a shift, complaining about blue eyes and curly blond hair. 

It was entertaining, to say the least. 

**[2:02 a.m. Eddie] dios he's just too cute**

**[2:03 a.m. Eddie] he fell over on the couch as soon as we got back**

**[2:03 a.m. Eddie] i want to kiss him**

She replies four hours later because she has normal human sleep schedules. 

_ [6:31 a.m.] Sorry was asleep  _

**[6:33 a.m. Eddie ] it's cool we just got back from a call**

_ [6:34 a.m.] So did you kiss him?  _

**[6:36 a.m. Eddie] wow just jumping into it i see**

_ [6:43 a.m.] yeah well you keep bitching about it  _

_ [6:44 a.m.] i am way too invested in your love life now  _

_ [6:45 a.m.] or lack thereof  _

**[6:50 a.m. Eddie] ha ha ha**

Eddie's dry sarcasm just jumped out from her phone, and she snickered as she pushed the covers back to get ready for the day. 

_[7:02 a.m.] I fully expect you to ask me to be your best woman at your wedding_. 

**[7:13 a.m. Eddie] Chris will obvs be my best man. If you wanna be the best woman, you might be fighting Lena for that title**. 

"Who's Lena?" She wanted to ask, but then another message came through.

**[7:13 a.m. Eddie] But that won't happen if there won't be a wedding in the first place.**

_ [7:14 a.m.] Don't say that I already bought a dress.  _

_ [7:14 a.m.] And hey aren't you tired, you just got off shift right  _

**[7:19 a.m. Eddie] Yup, Buck's coming over to make pancakes for breakfast**

_ [7:20 a.m.] Is that a euphemism for something  _

In response, Eddie sends her a selfie of him flipping off the camera. He was so obviously not driving, so obviously in the passenger seat of someone else's car, and she couldn't help but tease him a bit. 

_[7:22 a.m.] and he's driving you home wow I hear wedding bells_

**[7:30 a.m. Eddie] Shut up 🙄**

* * *

She formally meets Buck when Eddie invites her to a small get together at the 118. Apparently, they were welcoming someone back from medical leave - no one from Eddie's immediate team - and they decided to hold a small celebration. She hesitated at first until Eddie made it absolutely clear that he told his coworkers they were not dating and were just really good friends. 

She accepted the invite and proceeded to swing by her favorite bakery to at least bring something along. 

The party was in full swing when she arrived. She cautiously made her way in before eventually being spotted by someone. 

That someone was built, about six feet tall, probably a few inches taller than Eddie - and Eddie was already really tall - with curly blond hair and bright blue eyes, a prominent birthmark on his face. He had a very friendly air about him, a bright smile that just illuminated the room, and if Ana was to compare him to anything, it'd be a damn golden retriever. 

This was probably Buck.

And, yeah, Ana  _ gets it. _

"Hi!" He greeted with a grin, before he hesitated. "I'm sorry...uh...can we help you?" 

"I'm here for the party," she replied, wincing when it sounded more like a question than a statement. "I'm Ana, uh...Eddie invited me?"

Buck's eyes widened, and there was a flash of something that darkened his gaze, before he let out a smile that was just a bit too forced. 

"Oh," he finally said, looking too polite, and yeah, Buck can't act for shit to hide his jealousy. "Well, it's so nice of you to drop by."

"And I brought cupcakes!" She said, holding the box out in front of her like a peace offering.

He gingerly took them. "Thank you," he said, at least sounding sincere. "Uh...Eddie's upstairs, come with me."

It looked like it took all of his willpower to say those words, and Ana cannot wait to rub it in Eddie's face when she tells him that his ginormous crush was most likely reciprocated. 

Eddie smiled when he spotted her and greeted her with a hug. She could  _ feel  _ the murderous stare from across the room.

"I thought you told your co-workers we're no longer together," she said when she pulled away from the hug. 

Eddie made a confused face. "But, I did?"

"Then why is your boy slowly plotting the many ways he could make me disappear?" She asked with a grin. At Eddie's further confusion, she sighed and turned him around to where Buck was sitting, looking for all the world like he was  _ sulking. _

"He likes you too, you know," she said, and Eddie whipped his head around so fast to look at her, disbelief in his face.

"He doesn't-" he began, but she cut him off with a look, fixing him the no-nonsense expression. He sighs in defeat.

"Look, honey, why don't you go talk to him, and I'll go mingle with everyone," she said, pushing him forward. "And, for the love of God, please make it absolutely clear to him and to everyone that we are not dating, that we are friends, and that's it. I will not ruin my chances of meeting other hot firefighters because they thought I was still with you."

Eddie frowned but she none-too-gently pushed him towards the couch where Buck was still sulking and proceeded to walk away once Eddie sat down beside him.

She stayed by the drinks for a while, half listening to the conversation around her as she watched the two on the couch converse. Eddie had a hand on Buck's knee, and he was probably setting him straight because the doom cloud over Buck's head was gone and he was slowly starting to brighten up again. Even from a distance, she could see how so obviously in love they are with each other. 

"You the one who brought the cupcakes?" A low voice spoke behind her, and Ana turned around and stopped breathing for a moment.

The girl who spoke to her was tall, wearing an LAFD shirt, and had her blond hair pulled up in a high ponytail. Her eyes glinted in the firehouse lights, and Ana could not help but be enamored.

_ Pretty,  _ she thought. 

"Yeah, I did. It was a last minute invite so I didn't get to make anything, but they're from my favorite bakery," she said instead, once she managed to get her tongue working again.

"They're good," came the response, accompanied by a smirk. "What's the bakery's name, I'd like to get more of these."

"I can take you there," Ana found herself saying. 

The firefighter smiled at her, and  _ fuck,  _ she's  _ fucked _ . 

"I'm Lena. Lena Bosko," she said, holding out a hand, and Ana shook it.

"Ana Flores," she replied, an easy smile slipping on her face.

The name suddenly rang a bell. "Oh _ you're  _ Lena?"

"I see my reputation precedes me."

Ana laughs. "Sorry, Eddie talks about you sometimes."

"Ah, you his girlfriend?" Lena asks, caution lacing her voice that had Ana immediately correcting her because  _ no. _

"No, absolutely not. We tried but...didn't work out. He's so obviously into someone else," she said, trailing off, unsure if she said too much, but her fears were put at ease when Lena glanced over at the two men still on the couch.

"I know right? They've been dancing around each other for  _ years.  _ Hey, did he ever tell you about the time they argued like a married couple in the grocery store?"

That had piqued her interest. "No, he didn't. Please, tell me more."

Lena took her hand and led her to one of the available seats, and Ana did not want to let go.

* * *

**[4:30 p.m. Eddie] So Lena huh 👀**

Two can play at that game.

_[4:33 p.m.] So, how'd it go with Buck? You two were getting real cozy_.

Before she left the party - with Lena's number and a spring in her step - she glanced over and saw the two men still in each other's space, Buck's hand on Eddie's arm. She honestly didn't even mind that they spent all that time together. If they hadn't, she might have not met Lena.

**[4:35 p.m. Eddie] We talked.**

_ [4:35 p.m.] And?? _

_ [4:37 p.m.] Oh god seriously nothing? _

It was hours later that Eddie replied. She thought nothing of it, seeing as he probably was in the middle of a call. 

She texted with Lena instead, who was off-duty, thank God, and giggled like a teenager all night. 

When a notification from Eddie popped up, she melted at the image he shared.

Buck was asleep on his shoulder, completely dead to the world, and Eddie was looking completely beat as well. But, despite the exhaustion in his gaze, he looked pretty damned content with the situation, a pleased little smile on his face. She was sure he had an arm wrapped around Buck, pulling him closer.

**[9:12 p.m. Eddie] Rough call. This one fell asleep as soon as we got back**.

_ [9:13 p.m.] I hope he gets some rest. You too, you look dead on your feet. _

**[9:15 p.m. Eddie] I know but I kinda want this to last for awhile.**

**[9:16 p.m. Eddie] I just want to be here for him, even if he can't be here for me in the way that I want.**

Ana sighed and rolled her eyes. These idiots were going to be the death of her.

_ [9:17 p.m.] And you're sure about that?  _

_[9:18 p.m.] You've talked to him?_

There was a delay in his reply, and Ana proceeded to get ready for bed while she waited for his answer.

**[10:31 p.m. Eddie] Sorry, cap asked us to have dinner then move into the bunks**

**[10:32 p.m. Eddie] And no, but what if I do say something and it ends up destroying our friendship?**

**[10:33 p.m. Eddie] I don't think I can survive that. Chris can't lose him. I can't lose him**.

**[10:35 p.m. Eddie] And besides, how could he want me? With my baggage?**

Ana prayed for patience. She loved Eddie, and he was slowly becoming like one of her many brothers she grew up with, but if he starts this self-deprecating bullshit again, she was going to bash him over the head with a chalkboard eraser or something.

_ [10:37 p.m.] Okay no, you are not going to do that to yourself. _

_[10:38 p.m.] And are you kidding me? From what you said, he's been your partner in and out of work since you started at the LAFD_.

_ [10:40 p.m.] He's been carrying your baggage with you already. He's practically a dad to Christopher, and he's co-parenting with you. _

_[10:41 p.m.] Does that sound like someone who's worried about baggage?_

Eddie didn't reply for a while, but when he did, it was nearing midnight and she's just barely closed her eyes when her phone vibrated with a message.

**[11:36 p.m. Eddie] I'm just scared...what if it all goes wrong?**

_[11:37 p.m.] But what if it all goes right?_

_[11:38 p.m.] Think about it and for God's sake go to sleep so I can sleep._

* * *

Eddie invites her to have drinks with the rest of the group on Saturday night, and she asks Lena to come along with her. Lena responded with an excited "Hell yeah" and Ana most certainly did not spend about two hours getting dressed up.

In the end, she settled for a dark skirt and maroon blouse. She tried taming her curls and put on a bit more makeup than she usually would in school. 

At the stunned look Lena gave her when she picked her up, Ana felt very pleased.

"Let's go," she said, climbing into the Uber with Lena and happily holding her hand as they made their way to the bar.

She already met the rest of the 118 back at the party, and she was glad that she's slowly starting to have more friends outside of fellow faculty and fourth graders.

They had commandeered a spot near the bar, big enough for the group. Chim and Maddie were sitting next to each other, whispering in low tones as they decided on what to drink. Next to them was Hen and a woman she assumes is Hen's wife, Karen. Captain Nash, and his wife, Sergeant Grant, were at the end of the table, glasses of water in front of them and a few finger foods.

Then, there was Buck and Eddie.

Eddie was sitting pressed up against Buck despite the fact that there was still space between him and Chim that could fit another person.

Buck certainly did not seem to mind, not with the way he had a possessive arm wrapped around Eddie, and if they weren't in public, he might have already pulled Eddie into his lap.

"Hey guys," she greets them, and as a group they look up.

"Oh, hey, glad you could make it!" Eddie exclaims as he gestures to the empty seats, and she fights a smirk when Buck's hand curls a bit tighter on his shoulder. "Come on, we were just about to order."

"Thanks," she replies, and she and Lena sit next to each other.

Eddie gives her a knowing smirk, but Ana ignores him, content to simply lean back against Lena who places a hand on her thigh, and yup, Ana could get used to this.

She is content to observe, watching the group Eddie has dubbed as the "fire-fam" bicker and tease each other. Even Lena joins in, and Ana loves it when she talks because her low voice rumbles in her chest. 

The music starts up, and Buck excitedly pulls Eddie from his seat and asks him to dance. Ana watches as they end up in the middle, with Eddie's hands on Buck's waist as they sway together to the music, large dopey grins on their faces.

"If the night does not end with them making out, I am going to riot," Chim mutters and Ana shoots them a surprised look.

"Oh my god, you see it too?" She exclaims, and all eyes turn to her.

Hen is the one who replies. "You try spending 50 something hours a week with them. It's infuriating."

"They probably don't realize that they're in love with each other," Maddie comments, and Ana could not help but snort.

"Oh, Eddie is painfully aware," she remarks, causing everyone's heads to swivel towards her in shock. "I called him out on it when we were still dating a few weeks back."

"And he just...admitted to it?" Chim asks, jaw hanging in surprise. "Mr. Conceal-don't-feel?"

Ana shrugs, and she feels Lena's lips curve into a smile against her neck. She's already heard this story before.

"I'm very persuasive. It helps that I'm good with reading people. I just looked at him and he admitted to it," she replies with a small smile. "You should have seen it. He managed to spew wine out his nose when I told him to his face that he might be in love with Buck. He denied it at first, but we got there."

She was met with stunned silence and varying degrees of impressed looks.

"Have you ever considered a career with the LAPD?" Sergeant Grant - Athena - finally asks with a smile. "If you can get  _ Eddie Diaz _ to confess his feelings, maybe you'd be a good interrogator."

Ana laughs. "Thank you, but I think I'll stick with fourth graders."

"But he...he just said it?" Chim asks again, and Ana fears she may have broken him. 

"He did, and we've been talking about it for awhile. I keep trying to tell him that Buck feels the same, it's so obvious, but he's still not convinced," she replies. "I don't know about Buck, and I haven't talked to him really, but I'm sure he feels the same. He just has to realize it."

Maddie hums. "What if we get Buck to talk to you?"

"And how do you propose we do that without causing suspicion?"

In the end, they all decide to go dancing, and Ana stays behind with some flimsy excuse in case Buck asks. Lena presses a kiss to her cheek and Ana asks her to save her a dance later. The grin on Lena's face made her feel butterflies.

Maddie and Hen manage to get Eddie's attention, and they all start dancing, together. Buck finds his way back to their empty table, eyebrows raised in surprise when he sees her sitting alone.

"You're not going dancing?" He asks, opening another bottle of beer.

Ana chuckles. "I will, in a bit," she replied, looking out at the group on the dance floor. She turns her attention to Buck who settles in his chair adjacent to her.

He, too, is staring at the group. Or, rather, staring at one person in particular. Eddie was now dancing with Hen and Karen, a huge smile on his face as they did so. 

She didn't miss the longing sigh Buck let out, or the puppy eyes he fixed on the group. 

It was now or never, she supposed.

"You like him," she stated simply, and she swears she heard a cracking noise when Buck whipped his head to look at her with a confused frown. "You like Eddie," she clarifies.

"Well I hope so, I mean he's my best friend," he scoffs, trying for casual but completely missing the mark.

Ana sighs. "No, I meant that you like,  _ like  _ him."

"Like  _ like?"  _ He parrots with a pained smile. "What is this, grade school?"

She chuckles. "Well, you do, don't you?"

Buck looks at her, a flurry of emotions dancing across his eyes. She regarded him with a neutral expression, like she was in some sort of standoff.

"It's complicated," he whispers, hand gripping the beer bottle tightly. 

The seconds ticked by, and Ana eventually raises her brow.

"It shouldn't be," she murmured, placing a cautious hand on his arm. "So, do you?"

Buck lets out a humorless laugh. "I can't believe I'm talking about this to you, his ex-girlfriend of all people."

"We never really made it official," she pointed out. "We couldn't. We weren't for each other. I like someone else now, and so does he for that matter."

Ana observes the way his jaw clenches before Buck releases a resigned sigh.

"I don't  _ like  _ him," he began, and Ana waited. "I  _ love  _ him."

She smiles at that, relieved to know that Eddie's feelings are one hundred percent reciprocated. Buck looked hesitant as he said that, unsure of his words, but she squeezed his arm comfortingly.

"You know," she started when he looked at her. "Maybe you should tell him that."

"He doesn't feel the same," Buck replied, still gripping the beer in his hand. 

Oh god, there's two of them. Ana takes a deep breath to steel herself.

"And have you talked to him about that?" Ana asks him. 

"I don't have to," Buck muttered, a longing expression on his face. "He doesn't feel the same. I'm content to just be his life in whatever way I can."

Hen was right. She's been around them for less than the entire 118 crew has, but it was  _ infuriating _ nonetheless.

Ana decides it's time to take matters into her own hands. 

She stands and Buck looks up at her as she does so.

"Listen, life is too short for what ifs," she began, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't wait for him to make the first move. If you love him, tell him. He might surprise you."

Buck bites down on his lower lip.

"I'm just…" he trailed off, before looking up at her. "I'm just so scared of what could happen."

"And so could he," she points out, smiling at him. "Then be scared with him, because even if I've known you both for just a little while, I can see you care for each other so much. I just want you two to be happy."

Ana punctuates her sentence with a squeeze to his shoulder before she makes her way to the dance floor and towards Lena. She wraps her arms around her, simply content to bask in her presence.

"You're beautiful," Lena murmurs, and Ana blushes.

"You're not too bad yourself," she whispers back, squeezing her arms around her tighter. Lena presses a kiss to her cheek, and Ana reciprocates by pressing a kiss to the corner of her lips.

Lena's breath hitches. "You wanna get out of here?"

Ana grins. "Oh,  _ absolutely. _ "

She makes a quick stop back to the table after she bids everyone goodbye when she realizes Buck and Eddie were already gone.

They probably left together, and Ana hides a little pleased smile, hoping it all works out.

Then Lena kisses her in the Uber and all thoughts of Buck and Eddie leave her mind.

* * *

Ana wakes up to her phone vibrating on the nightstand. She blinks for a moment, slowly regaining consciousness to realize that she is in a warm bed, in a room that was definitely not hers, snuggled in the arms of someone else.

She cranes her neck to see Lena behind her, fast asleep, blond hair fanned out on the pillow. Ana grins, snuggles further into her arms, and sighs happily when Lena tightens her grip around her waist.

Her phone vibrates again, and Lena groans.

"You gonna get that?" She asks sleepily.

Ana reaches out to grab her phone and silence it when she sees the message notification from Eddie.

The image takes a while to load, but when it did, it showed Eddie in bed too, hair mussed up, a content smile on his face. She could see Buck's arm around him, his pale skin a stark contrast against Eddie's tanned complexion, and he looked to still be fast asleep.

The image was accompanied by two words:

**[7:34 a.m. Eddie] Thank you.**

Ana grins.

_ [7:35 a.m.] I get to be the best woman ok _

She doesn't wait for a response before placing her phone back on the table. Now that Eddie's got his happy ending, she could finally work on hers.

"Good morning," she says, and Lena's lips quirk into a smile.

"Good morning, indeed."

And yeah, she could really get used to this.

* * *

End


End file.
